"The RPG not to be missed"

The Mario Bros. are in there rightful place, tagged up in one for a adventure to be seen. Luigi is as scared and funny as ever and Mario...Well his just Mario. The RPG for the GBA which should not be missed it this one.This review may be a little late, but for all those people who haven't brought and experienced the fun of this game, its still not too late to head down to local game shop and pick it up. Anyway, on with the review...

Story and CharactersIts the classic Mario Scenario we've seen time and time again, the princess has been captured and this time not by Bowser but a evil witch named Cackletta and her ever strange Toady sidekick Fawful(Who will have Fury). Cackletta is in the Beanbean Kingdom and Mario and Luigi must head there to save her. Using Bowser's Koopa Cruiser, Mario and Luigi join forces with Bowser temporally to try to save the princess. Although Luigi doesn't want to go, he comes along(forcefully) and would never regret it.

With lots of plot twist, this game will keep you guessing until the very end.(And I mean very end)

Helpful characters along the way will give the Bros. jumping tips, hammers, hammer tips, hand powers and hand tips. All of these characters make life in the Beanbean Kingdom easier for the Bros. .

The Humour within the story is un-comparable with any other RPG at the moment as you'll laugh and laugh at some of the personalities of the characters (Mainly Fawful and his fractured English).

With the variety of characters in this game, get ready to push some of your old favourites out the window to replace them with some of these new quality ones.(There are also a couple of Cameo's from other recent games)

My score for the story, 2/2

Graphics and Controls.The 3D type of graphics used in SM:RPG have become portable! The graphics are smooth with very little faults in the background. The battle effects from special Bros. moves are delight to perform and see. Yet, some things in the Environment could be done better. But overall it is well done. Good Job Alphadream(The creators of the game)

Mario fans alike will notice that there is no classic Goombas and Koopas but they are changed to beanie-type enemies(Troopee and Beanie etc.). This means there are many different types of enemies you will explore. Yet there will be the occasional "OMG there's a Mushroom Kingdom enemy" but thats to be expected. But there is also a town with Toads in it, so for you people who say "Its got nothing to do with Mario, No thanks!" there's a slice of Mushroom Kingdom goodness in there for you.

The controls for this game are like any other Mario game, Simple and easy to learn. The game will explain itself for you people who are too lazy to read the instruction book.(Which is almost everyone) By the end of the game, you'll know all the controls forwards and backwards, which you'll need because they tend to pile up.

My Score for Graphics and Controls, 1/2

Sound effects/MusicOne of the more pleasing things about this game is the music. The Battle theme is well put together and it will get stuck in your head if you listen to it enough.Area themes will be annoying at times, but some of them are very good(Town Theme for example). Now to the Boss theme, it is very good and very "bossy" type of music, though its not going to top some of the other Mario RPG boss music.

Also for you Die-hard Mario fans, the have some quality remixes and some old Mario favourite sound effects.

The sound effects are typical, the jump command will drive you insane if you listen long enough and the Hammer gives you the thought of you actually beating something. As for the Hand Powers they'll correspond to its ability. Sound effects/Music gets a 2/2

Difficulty and Game-playThis game would be almost impossible if it weren't for your trusty map. But if you ever get lost in the story, there is a shop where you can buy information on what to do next, but it comes at a price. Though some bosses can be tedious, once you know the strategy, they'll be pretty easy. Yet the final boss of this game will drive you to the brink of the morning trying to dodge and deal damage. Without massive level-ups expect to get about 1 or 2 "Gamer Overs" with this game.

The game-play is wonderful. You will receive Bros. Moves from different people that you can use in and out of battle. Using them out of battle will help you get past a area. Using them in battle helps you deal extra damage to foes.

You can also buy thins called Badges which will improve your style of battling and upgrade some of your stats. Pants will also improve your battle style and upgrade different stats than Badges.

During Battle, you can use items,select from a array of solo attacks or use the ever powerful bros. moves to defeat your opponent.But as in most RPG there is the Run option if you face a enemy too hard or if you almost die.

As usual, the currency is coins, but unfortunately Beanbean Kingdom coins are worth more than Mushroom Kingdom coins, which leads to a hassle at some points of the game. As always, coins allow you to purchase items, badges and pants.

Warp Pipes have differences to each other depending on the colour. I'll leave it to you to find the person who tells you what each one means.

Overall Difficulty and Game-play get a perfect 2/2

Replay ValueOne of the more important parts of any game, the replay value. Fortunately, this game has several side-quests, hidden badges, mini-games and items. Unfortunately, after you get those things your basically ready to pack this game up for storage(unless you want a level 99). As I said before, your going to have to go to the dry cleaners to get everything in this game, or just check the FAQs, your choice. One thing is for certain, you will not get everything on your first play through.(Unless you use a guide or the FAQs)

One downside is that the mini-games are very repetitive and boring, so don't expect that to last you long. Though if you're a fan of Geno, you'll see him on one of the mini-games, but you might not notice him at first.

There is also a Cafe built by the always famous Professor E. Gadd that uses the ingredient, beans to make a coffee for you that will raise a stat for you. The different type off beans you give the clerk, the different coffee, so get ready to experiment.

Most of the side-quest are available during the game, but some are only able to be done when your about to finish it(There is no saving after the Final boss; just a heads up). Most Side-quests are unlocked when you acquire a certain Bros. Move for the field.Replay Value gets a 1/2.

ConclusionThis game is Fantastic for the GBA and for a RPG. Whether your using Dynamic Brothers Moves(Bros. Moves) or or Jumping and Pummeling your way through enemies, this game is sure to keep you up all night with 15 hours of action-packed fun!

Rent or Buy?This is a Buy for all hardcore Mario fans and RPG lovers alike. Even if you don't like RPG, go Rent it from a Friend and then decide if this game is for you. You'll probably find it is good and play through it completely and then give it back, its that good.